|
|
Sam pushed his chair from the table, jumped
from his seat, and declared indignantly, “I quit. You’re cheating and you
know it.” Then he threw his handful of Uno cards on the picnic table and
stormed into the house. His three friends remained outside seated under
the large palm tree. They wondered, “What is his problem? It’s too nice
out here to let a stupid card game bother him.”
Does this scenario sound familiar?
Uno stirs up a thrill. People get so enthralled in this card game that is meant to bring hours of family and friendly fun. How come it seems to have the effect of prescription medication with side effects such as high blood pressure, sweaty palms, trembling hands, and a racing heartbeat? It is because, for some, to lose this game means to lose control.
Many people are captivated by Uno - a card game that requires two or more participants. The objective is to be the first person to be rid of the cards dealt by matching words, colors, or numbers. It may be the excitement of yelling “Uno” when there is one card remaining that grabs one’s attention. It may also be watching the opponent squirm in anguish when he sees the dreaded “Draw Four” card. Oh, what terror if – God forbid – the opponent is then smacked in the face with yet another “Draw Four” card AND the color is changed to the one color he does not have. The opponent has just been forced to draw a total of eight cards and still does not have the correct color in his stack. He must feel as though he is $8,000 in debt and has to figure out how to pay that debt off. All the while, the person who has just thrown those two “Draw Four” cards on him is the equivalent of a demonic bill collector. Yes, Uno will definitely keep one on the edge of his lawn chair.
Could it be possible that people play Uno to escape
real issues in their own lives? The mentality may be to temporarily alleviate
problems such as unpaid bills. The irony in this is that whoever loses
the game only magnifies the anxiety that he was trying to avoid by playing
the game in the first place. What if he does win the game? What has he
accomplished? A temporary sense of success? Completeness? Wholeness? Competence?
Temporary is the operative word here because after the cards have been
crammed back into the worn out cardboard box, the mailman is consistently
going to deliver the light, gas, and water bills to the same wretched P.O.
box.
Playing Uno, or any game for that matter, to dodge insecurities is
as fruitless as putting a cork in an active volcano. The real issue will
eventually erupt into a mess that will require willpower of massive proportions
to fix it. Yet, one might still lean on the game using it as a crutch to
cater to his need of an ego boost. This can be a double-edged sword, however.
It can leave him feeling either elated or more frustrated depending on
whether he wins or loses the game.
Until people realize that Uno is not a home remedy
for procrastination and avoidance, they will fail to tackle core issues.
The best recommendation is to put away the Uno cards, fold up the picnic
table, and pay those overdue bills. In other words, address the primary
problem and solve it. Then play Uno to celebrate a real victory.